Gravity feed powdered soap dispenser



May 5, 1931. I

A. w. SMITH GRAVITY FEED POWDERED SOAP DISPENSER Filed April 7, 1930 latentecl May 5, 1931 z;

Amnrm w. SMITH, on seminar, MINNESOTA GRAVITY PONDERED SOAP DISPENSERApplication filed April 7, 1930. Serial No. 442,305.

This invention aims to provide a simple gravity-operated means fordispensing powdered soap or the like, the construction beh ing such thatthe machine will not clog, due to the fact that too much powdered soapis supplied at once. Another object of the invention is to provide novelmeans for housing the actuating spring for the valve, so that the springwill not be subjected to deteriorating contact with the powdered soap.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within thescope of what is claimed, without departing'from the spirit of theinvention. A In the drawings V Figure 1 shows in vertical section agravity feed powdered soap dispenser constructed in accordance with theinvention, parts being in elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The gravity feed powdered soap dispenser forming the subject matter ofthis application comprises a cup-shaped base 1 having an outlet 2, inthe form of a reduced neck, there be ing a compartment 3 in the base. 1.Thereis a seat 4 in the base 1, at the lower end of the compartment 3.The base 1 has an outstanding shoulder 5 equipped with an annularupstanding rim 6.

A partition 7 rests on the shoulder 5 and has an upstanding flange 8which is threaded both interiorly and externally. By means of a mass ofcement 9, the partition 7 is held in place, the cement engaging with therim 6 and with the external threads of the flange 8. The partition 7 hassmall, oppositely disposed openings 10 that communicate with thecompartment 3. 5 The numeral 11 designates a container of any desiredshape, having a reduced mouth 12 which is threaded into the flange 8 ofthe partition 7. A tubular guide 14 is mounted intermediate its ends inthe partition 7 and extends downwardly into the chamber 3. A stopper 15is held adjustably in the upper extremity of the guide 14 by screws 51or equiv- The numeral 16 marks a tubular valve.

The valve 16 has an annular body 17 which 21 between the end 20 of thevalve and the inner surface of the outlet 2. The valve 16 has a lower.end wall 22 in which there is a small hole 23. The function of the hole23 is to enable the valve 16 to slide up and down alent fastening meansand has areduced end on the end 50 of the stopper 15 without beingimpeded by suction. A compression spring 24 is located within the valve16. The lower end of thespring 24 bears on the end wall 22 of the valve,and the upper end of the spring bears against the reduced end 50 of thestopper 15. The purpose of the spring 24 is to shove the valve 16downand to hold the conical part 19 of the valve body 17 in engagementwith the seat 4.

The rim 6 of the base 1 is provided with an outstanding arm 25 that isrotatably adjustable in a socket 26 forming part of a wall bracket 27. Aset screw 28 is threaded into the socket 26 and is received ina'circumferential groove 29 formed in the arm 25s A detachableconnection between the dispensing mechanism and the bracket 27 thus isafforded, and it is possible to swing the part 19'of the valve beingspaced from the dispensing mechanism sidewise, should 1 the seat 4.-Then a small amount of soap will run out through the space 21 betweenthe end 20 of the valve and the outlet 2. Be-

cause the holes 10 in the partition 7 are small, not much soap gets downat a time from the container 11 into the compartment 3. The flow of thesoap, moreover, is impeded because the guide 1 1- extends downwardlynear to the seat 4. An ample supply of soap powder is provided when thevalve 16 is shoved up, but there will be no clogging arising out of thefact that a large amount of soap powder is let down at once; and,moreover, there will be no unnecessary waste of soap powder. The spring24 is housed completely within the valve 16, and does not come intocontact with the soap powder, the result being that the spring will notdeteriorate and will last for a long time.

When the soap in the container 11 is used up, the container can bethreaded out of place. 7 The set screw 28 is loosened, and the device isturned upside down, from the position of Figure 1, a new container 11,or the old container, filled with a new supply of soap, being threadedupwardly into place. Then, the device is brought up into the position ofFigure 1, and the set screw 28 is tightened. Because the mechanism canbe turned u'psidedown, as described, the soap powder will not run out ofthe container 11 whilst the container is being threaded into place.

The lower end 50 of the stopper 15 acts as a guide for the valve 16. Theend 50 of the stopper 15 holds the valve 16 clear of the tubular guide14 at all times, and promotes the sliding movement of the valve.

The stopper 15 may be removed to give access to the spring 2 1, forrepairs or replacement. The stopper 15 acts as a stop when the valve 16is raised, and when the valve 16 is raised until it strikes the stopper,there is a slight jar which has a tendency to loosen the powder andcause it to move down properly through the holes 10. The stopper 15 maybe employed to regulate the amount of powder that is dispensed. This canbe done by raising the stopper, giving the valve 16 a longer throw, thestopper being held in adjusted positions by the screws 51. It will beobserved that the device forming the subject matter of this applicationaffords not only a gravity feed soap powder dispenser, but a variablefeed dispenser, as well.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1 1. A gravityfeed soap powder dispenser,

comprising a base having a chamber provided with an outlet, a containerconnected to the base, a partition separatlng the container from thechamber and having a hole establishing communication between thecontainer and the chamber, a valve seated on the base to close theoutlet, a tubular guide mounted in the partition, and a removablestopper in the guide, the valve being slidable on the stopper.

2. A gravity feed soap powder dispenser comprising a base having achamber provided with a seat, the chamber having an outlet below theseat, a container connected to the base, a partition separating thecontainer from the chamber, the partition having an opening, a guidecarried by the partition, and extended downwardly to a point closelyadjacent to the seat, a removable stopper in the guide, and a valveslidable on the stopper and cooperating with the seat, the valve beingextended downwardly into the outlet.

3. A gravity feed soap powder dispenser comprising a base having achamber provided with an outlet, a container connected to the base, apartition separating the container from the base and having a holeestablishing communication between the cow tainer and the chamber, avalve seated on the base to close the outlet, a tubular guide mounted inthe partition, and a removable stopper in the guide, the valve beingslidable on the stopper, and being adapatd to engage the stopper, whenthe valve is raised, thereby to produce a jar, and to facilitate thedownward movement of the soap powder through the hole in the partition.

4. A gravity feed soap powder dispenser comprising a base having achamber provided with an outlet, a container connected to the base, apartition separating the container from the chamber and having a holeestablishing communication between the container and the chamber, aValve seated on the base to close the outlet, a tubular guide mounted inthe partition, a removable stopper in the guide, the valve beingslidable on establishing communication between the container and thechamber, a valve seated on the base to close the outlet, a tubular guidemounted in the partition, a removable stopper in the guide, the valvebeing slidable on i the stopper, a spring within the valve and engagingthe stopper to seat the valve, and the stopper beingremovable to giveaccess to the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature.

ARTHUR W. SMITH.

